Bed frames of the knockdown type for supporting a box spring and/or mattress above a floor have conventionally included a pair of spaced generally L-shaped steel side frame members and a pair of spaced generally L-shaped steel cross frame members extending perpendicular, therebetween, with the cross frame members commonly consisting of separate elements detachably secured to one another. The side and cross frame members cooperate to provide a base for supporting a mattress and/or box spring above the floor. The bed frame is typically supported by metal legs, positioned adjacent the intersection between the side and cross frame members, having floor engaging caster or glide assemblies associated therewith. Exemplary of such prior art bed frames are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,537,114, 3,555,579, 3,646,623, 3,683,429, 3,757,361, 3,795,022, 3,803,644, 4,224,704 and 4,276,665, which patents are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The prior art bed frame constructions of the type described above, have served to adequately support a mattress and box-spring unit quite well and have met with a very considerable degree of commercial success in so doing. However, such bed frame constructions, being made essentially from relatively expensive steel components, are quite heavy and therefore expensive to ship and difficult to handle. Further, such bed frame constructions require factory assembly of various component parts and must be painted to avoid rust and improve appearance.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an inexpensive bed frame construction that is strong, yet light in weight, and that requires little or no factory assembly of component parts and eliminates screws, nuts etc. It is also desirable that the bed frame construction be easy to assemble by the consumer without the necessity of any special tools.
Bed frames are typically supported on caster assemblies or glide assemblies which extend downwardly from the legs into contact with the floor. In normal use it is desirable that a bed frame remain in a stationary position, particularly when a person is resting on the mattress supported thereon. However, it is periodically necessary to move the bed frame and the unoccupied mattress supported thereon. Further, the caster assemblies and glide assemblies may rest on a carpeted floor. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a bed frame having support assemblies that permit the bed frame, and the mattress assembly supported thereon, to be easily moved over the floor when unoccupied and which assure that the bed frame remains in a stationary position when occupied. Such caster assemblies and guide assemblies should also be structurally strong and inexpensive to manufacture.